3 November 2005 Edition

Opinion - The Cutting Edge

BY BARRY (Ógra Shinn Féin Six-County Organiser McCOLGAN

Barry McColgan

Ógra Shinn Féin - re-organised, on the move and growing

In 2004 Ógra Shinn Féin was restructured nationally and regionally. A new
National Organiser and Cúige Organisers were appointed. With structures and
activists in place the aim was simple -- re-organise Ógra Shinn Féin,
ensuring the recruitment of young, radical, committed republicans through
our increased activism, and presence on the ground.

We are on the road to success. Our activity has increased. Our profile has
increased and through this, our activist base has grown. With this has come
an increase in harassment from state forces, with the arrests of a number of
activists on trumped up charges. Aimed at preventing further growth this has
merely united us and made us stronger.

Ógra has a revitalised activism, new structure, more communication and
co-ordination. Some old groups have been re-activated. Most areas have seen
membership growth and some areas like North Antrim, South Antrim, East
Tyrone, South Down, East Derry, Coleraine, Jordanstown and other parts of
West Tyrone have seen the establishment of new groups over the past year.
There are now 19 Ógra groups across the Six Counties.

There is now a fully operating Six-County officer board, with well attended
Sé Chontae Ógra meetings being held every month since January 2004.

As well as using the meetings to lay out a plan of work for the coming
month, we also have a training element. The meetings are used to give
leadership briefings, ensuring young activists are kept informed on the
struggle, so that troubling questions can be tackled and cynicism avoided.

For Ógra to be effective, activists must understand their role and set
strategic objectives particular to Ógra. All Ógra activists are already
members of Sinn Féin and will already be carrying out duties for them. To
avoid becoming 'mini Sinn Féin', we must define our own role, our own
strategic objectives, and a 'niche' in the struggle that can be tackled by
Ógra.

To me Ógra has three roles — campaigning, recruitment and education.
Following the IRA's decision to formally call an end to the armed campaign,
there must be a 'cutting edge' to the struggle, and I believe with a little
more effort and assistance Ógra can become that 'cutting edge!'

If we use direct action protests and street politics; If we continue to find
new alternate ways of bringing mass support for our campaigns and
objectives; If we learn from the Basque youth movement Segi and other
revolutionary movements throughout the world, then I believe in the time
ahead we can make this a reality.

We are the campaigning body of the movement and so if any protest or
campaign is happening in your local area, Ógra, where appropriate, should be
taking the lead. Through this we will recruit, because recruitment is
achieved through action.

When we recruit it is up to us to ensure that activists are with us for the
long haul and we will do this through education. We must make use of our
education programme, but also through education on the ground, show
activists the reality of living in Ardoyne during 12 July, the reality of
British occupation at the Omagh Demilitarisation Weekend, or bringing
activists to the Basque Country to show the oppression but also the strength
of the youth movement Segi.

In the last year we have left our mark in the streets and countryside across
the North. Visits to our imprisoned comrades in Castlerea, Colombia 3
Sponsored Walks, Green Post Box campaign, campaigns on President For All and
Youth 4 Truth, Demilitarisation Weekends in East Derry, South Down and West
Tyrone, Youth in Struggle events in Belfast, anti-collusion rooftop protest
in Strabane, Collusion exhibition in Queen's University, Long Kesh escape
lecture North Antrim, National Congress in Derry, the Free Seán Kelly
Protest in Coalisland or the mobilisation to the Basque Country, are but an
indication of the growth of Ógra.

In the remaining months of Sinn Féin's 100th anniversary, we must build upon
the great work that has been done. We must continue to be active, to recruit
and to educate, training Ógra members to be the activists and leaders of the
future. We must increase our activism, making sure we don't become a talking
shop but rather a youth movement, which radicalises, republicanises,
inspires and activates Ireland's youth.

Preparation must now be underway for our main activity next year -- the 25th
anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strike. We should now be developing ideas,
slogans and images that will best capture the spirit of the '81 Hunger
Strike.

We have had a successful beginning, but we must build upon this success and
where there are no Ógra cumainn, we must build Ógra cumainn. Where Ógra
cumainn are weak we must make them stronger.

There is a common misconception amongst young republicans today that senior
activists or the leadership 'will sort it out'. Nonsense. Young people have
always played an important role in the struggle. Today is no different, it
must be the young activists that will effect the necessary change in society.

Without youth coming through there is no struggle. The youth must not leave
the work up to others. We must take leadership and influence decisions.

Being a republican isn't about expressing your views in a pub, nor is it
about shouting 'Up the Ra'. It is about getting stuck in, getting active and
advancing the struggle. Do all you can — canvassing, protesting, community
action and be sure that everything you do is advancing the struggle. Every
little thing an activist does is helping to achieve our overall goal.

Sometimes activists get disillusioned and question if we're on the right
path. There are some who never express these feelings and drift off without
really knowing the answer to their difficulties. If you have a problem with
republican strategy or with your role, express your views, let them be
known. It is the courage to make these constructive criticisms that will
help build future republican strategy.

Past generations of republican youth inspirationally led the movement,
taking on the might of the British war machine, and affecting enough
pressure to bring them to the negotiating table. Young activists took
initiative and showed admirable bravery, many giving up their freedom and
many giving up their lives.

We must take lead from these young activists of past generations. We must
look to them for inspiration, develop ideas, and ensure that we are
advancing the struggle. In the time ahead we must build a mass movement, and
so every activist has a duty to bring more activists on board the Sinn Féin
train. The more activists in the struggle, the quicker change will come and
the quicker freedom will be won. Onwards to the Socialist Republic.

An Phoblacht Magazine

AN PHOBLACHT MAGAZINE:

The first edition of this new magazine will feature a 10 page special on the life and legacy of our leader Martin McGuinness to mark the first anniversary of his untimely passing.

It will include a personal reminiscence by Gerry Adams and contributions from the McGuinness family.

There will also be an exclusive interview with our new Uachtarán Mary Lou McDonald.